


The World is Wide Enough

by Kimmzie



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Love, Multi, OT3, Post-Episode AU: s04e13 Journey's End, Pre-OT3, Time Lord Donna Noble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-07-23 23:34:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7484334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimmzie/pseuds/Kimmzie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tentoo and Rose don't go along with the Doctor's (Ten's) plan to live one life together happily ever after in Pete's World. Finding themselves back on the TARDIS: Can Rose find a firm footing between a Time Lord she thought she knew (Ten), and a partially new-newish one she is getting to know (Tentoo)? Can they keep the Doctor-Donna from burning? A/U Pairing is yet to be determined. Rose/10, Rose/Tentoo, possible ot3</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a new one that wanted to be written. So tell me what you think. Thank you very much for reading!  
> I don't own Doctor Who.

On a Beach again...

The Doctor: Full Time Lord

The Full Time Lord was tying up every eventuality that could, and or, would be Rose Tyler into a neat bow. He could see her bright time-line start to drift and entangle in a time-line that was his- but not. He swallowed hard.

Well, maybe one day he could cut off those pesky emotions that the council used to scrunch their pompous noses at. There was a venomous taste of bile and regret welling up his throat. It festered and boiled so poignantly that he fought back tears. Ah, such bitter sweet sorrow. Another gulp. There was nothing sweet about any of this.

She had come so far. His little, pink and yellow human. Rose looked at him with hazel eyes that promised him a Universe where he would never see it without her hand in his. It's always better with two, they pleaded. Forever echoed in his mind. He had to stop it there. He couldn't finish that sentence. Not again. She never heard it the first time.

"Does it need saying?" He replied. She did not understand the second time.

She turned away and faced the other 'him' with the same question. When Rose turned away it was like a fatal blow. There was whispering and he really wasn't paying attention. Everything was going black and rearranging. The meta-crisis was kissing her. He was him… as far as he could tell. He needed Rose. That was very him, but not. He could give her more. If he was in the same situation…

He drove that troublesome thoughts deep, deep down as he tried to push his hands in the depths of oblivion that dwelled in the deep pockets.

Her hands were in the Meta-crisis's hair now. He swiped an absent hand through his own windswept hair. The TARDIS was groaning. The walls between Universes were closing. He felt like his bones were being crushed into sharp splinters. The shrapnel dug into him the longer he stayed on that windy beach.

Now the Meta-crisis had his arms all around her, it seem that… No! Rose would be fine.

He needed her and that was very him.

The Full Time Lord looked over to the Doctor- Donna. She was already headeding back to the TARDIS blissfully unaware of what was coming. Again, another adventure he could never have.

Eventually, they all leave.

The Doctor: Part Time Lord (metacrisis Doctor)

He certainly had started his existence with a bang. It was quite kind of himself, or his former self, to use a regeneration on his old hand. Now this hand was his handy hand. Oh, gotta love that hand. No time for that now. His mind had to move faster, just a bit faster. The old him was up to something and it didn't seem fair to any party. His newly formed synapses and neurons weren't firing at optimum efficiency. Too much human… Faster he had to act faster. If only he had some tea. Not a tannin or free radicals in sight. Not even a cup of tepid water.

No bother, he tried to reach out to Rose… shh without his other "self" hearing. :ROSE:

Nope, nada, zip, zilch- shh. Concentrate. His new attention span was short. His single heart, which was still disgusting, was starting to pound in his ears. His limited, very limited time sense was screaming bells and whistles. The window was closing. He really wasn't paying attention to what Rose and his full Time Lord counterpart were saying.

He made sure to keep his face stoic. He would play the Time Lord's game for now.

"And you, Doctor?" He was lost in those whiskey eyes.

Bingo- Time for the plan to begin.

He held her close and whispered, "How long are you going to stay with me?" His eyes darted from her to the Time Lord. The latter looked as if he had seen his own epitaph.

She cocked her head slightly. 'Forever,' echoed through his new neural pathways- clever girl. If there was ever any doubt, she was Rose.

'Has anything changed? Present 'Double- Doctor- Vison' excluded?' She shook her head and smiled. 'Run when I say, run.' He starts stepping… 'I am so, so, sorry for what about to come. Now, we need a distraction. Sorry. Well, not sorry for this.'

Rose beat him to the finish line. Who cares? She was kissing him and he fell into it so easily. Her hands were grasping at his hair while his arms encircled her small frame. He could barely muster the concentration to know when to grab her hand. He took hold of her hand and spun her around. "Run," he whispered, as he led her towards the TARDIS that was slowly disappearing. He snapped his fingers and the fading doors opened. "Go."

The Doctor: The Full Time Lord

The Doctor was watching Donna. Correction, he was watching the Doctor-Donna manically gab about over the console room. She grinned and named all the places and sights her new big brain could think of. Each new idea hopped from neuron- neuron. She was going too fast. She was going to burn.

A gold flash in his mind reminded him of a girl touched by the vortex. She could see everything and all she wanted to do was save him. He ignored the TARDIS scolding or whatever his ship was trying to do. All Donna wanted to do was travel with him.

"Donna you know what I have to do," he said, lowly.

"Oi, wait on that a tic." He heard his own voice.

The Doctor: Part Time Lord (metacrisis)

The Doctor turned around. His hearts started beating faster than Donna who was pacing and racing circles around the console room. "You!"

"Why, yes it is me, I suppose. Right back in the TARDIS. We don't have much time for reintroductions."

"And me," Rose appeared from behind the Meta-crisis Doctor. The Full Time Lord wanted to cry out in frustration or pure joy; maybe a bit of both.

"Rose, I."

"No, no, no. We need to do that later." The man in the blue suit walked towards Donna. "You will be fine. I have an idea. You are brilliant. Well both of us are. Isn't that wizard…You've been in my head and I got a pinch of Donna. That bit of your human creativity is brilliant, but if you got a spare heart… Now, anyway let him just get you to sleep. You need to slow down or you will burn. We need a slow simmer not a boiling over pot catching the galley on fire. Though I still could use some tea. Rose?"

"Doctor." She looked at them both and put her hands on her hips.

"What?" They both asked.

Rose turned to the Doctor in brown and looked at Donna with glassy eyes. "Save her," she whispered.

"Doctor, please do what the one in blue says. S'ays, says, so, stop, slow, simmer, sleep, seep, cilantro." The Doctor in blue quirked a brow at the last word.

"She is a rubbish cook, remember. Now, all you have to do is get her into a healing like coma. I don't have enough power currently. Since, you have me back. Hello. You, me, us can slow it all down. You can't take it all away. It's a part of her."

The Time Lord narrowed his eyes at the part Time Lord in the blue suit.

"Doctor, please. You made me so much better. She was the most important woman in the Universe for a moment. You can do whatever you want with me or him when you are done." She paused. She slouched a bit like the gravity was off in the TARIDIS. "Please."

The Doctor raised his head and pushed his doppelganger, not so gently, to the side. He was stiff and raised his hands to Donna's temples. "I'll let you sleep. I won't let you burn. Get ready to catch her." The Doctor closed his eyes and Donna's babbling stopped and soon her respiration slowed and she was unconscious. "That should hold for a bit. Let's get her to the infirmary."

The walk to the Med-bay was swift and uncomfortable. Rose followed the two Doctor's a few feet behind. She was wondering what it would take to cut the tension. The surprise and awkwardness of it all was made it easy enough to deduce that the Doctor had no plan on taking her back. Now she was trapped.

She felt betrayed. He was leaving her behind again!

What would her future be now? Maybe she could go back to Earth. It was her original home. Mickey was there. She shook her head. Jack was there… He didn't want her on the TARDIS anymore. She was some sort of intergalactic babysitter. She was looking at how interesting her shoes were as the Doctor in brown hooked Donna up to all the equipment.

"Right, you're next," the Full Time Lord said to the man in blue.

"What? Excuse me? What?" He looked alarmed.

"You need to be on the same level to communicate with her. We have to hook you up. I don't think you're telepathy is as strong. I don't want this to go all pear shaped. It'll also let your brain slow down and sort itself out. Your timeline is all over the place. I don't feel like going in there right now."

"Like you could," He said under his breath.

"Is he right?" Rose chimed in from the corner.

The part- Time Lord in blue sighed and laid down on the bed next to Donna. "If I keep talking in cooking metaphors just… I don't know."

"We could use a cook," Rose said with a half-smile. "Can you teach a… well… new tricks."

"New, New, New-ish Doctor." He smiled, brightly and leaned back. "I can do this myself, thank you very much."

Doctor: Full Time Lord

Soon the unconscious part-Time Lord's breathing was in sync with Donna's. After the Doctor put all the necessary tubes and monitors in he noticed that their heartbeats were identical.

"It's kind weird seeing her quiet," the Doctor mused.

"It's weird seeing you, or you but not you, quiet." Rose added. "How long do they have to stay like that?"

"She's not burning anymore. We have to wait for her to calm down a bit so we can put some of it in him. At least, I think that is his plan."

"What was yours?"

"I would have erased every trace of myself. Every memory and put up a block so she wouldn't think of me again. If she saw me again she would burn."

"Donna was going to travel with you and you weren't going be alone."

"She didn't know." He replied, putting his hands back in his pockets.

"Doctor, you were going to be alone."

"I know." The icy tone in his reply chilled the blood in her veins.

"Is that what you want?"

The Doctor didn't answer. He just walked out of the med-bay in a huff. Rose followed carefully at his heels. She hadn't seen this level of brooding since her first days on the TARDIS and the Doctor had preferred leather. They went through several twist and turns in a tense silence that had Rose on edge. Why was he so angry? He did a swift turn and she crashed into him. Cooler hands held her up, but his hands were shaking.

"Doctor?"

"Right… Well, erm. It's been a long day. Do you want a cup of tea or… I don't know." Finally some British diplomacy. Things were looking up and Rose hid a smile.

"Okay then," she nodded. He didn't realize that she was still in his grip. His hands felt more than empty when she finally managed to pull away (Not that was really possible). "Doctor? I feel that there has been a lot of talking of what'haves, and what'nots. Not between us." She pointed between the two of them and gently took his arm. "It might be my turn to get a say in all this. Don't you think I get a go?"

"You're just so accident prone and you wander off incessantly… Rose Tyler, I don't think there has been a more…." She held her fingertips to his mouth to stop his reply.

A bit of her tongue peeked its way through the side of a lopsided grin as she tried to keep her features calm and collected. The Time Lord could feel his hearts melting. How could he give this up? She took up her favorite pink mug and sat on the old cozy couch in the library that mysteriously pushed its sitters together. That had disappeared the day Martha had boarded.

His mind internally mimic Rose's deep exhale as she leaned into him. "After all this. It's you and me! Rose Tyler and Doctor in the TARDIS, as it should be. If only for one night."

"Quite." The Time Lord frowned when there was no cup for him.

"You must've done something naughty," Rose teased. "The TARDIS must be cross at you for something." She handed him her cup which was dark." Anyway, if I am to get this correctly, you thought you were giving me a better life? That I would make him, the other one, better somehow… Like I am some trans-dimensional baby-sitter."

"Not quite that. No, you see…"

"No I do, Doctor. I see a lot. I've seen a lot."

"Please let me finish?" The tip of her head nuzzled quickly into the crook of his shoulder. He leaned back and let her continue.

"You think that I made you better. You were born out of war and such horrors… All leather and gruff and broody. I do get that. Always did understand that, but more- so now."

"Time Lords don't brood." He took off his suit jacket and crossed his arms.

"Yeah... I might a tad now. I wonder if I'm too old for that phase. Anyway, the stars were going out. I was on one of the first teams developing where the cannon would break through. There were cracks, tears, and rips splintering everywhere. At first, it was random. All sorts of places, nice places, no oxygen places, nothing, war zones. We flipped a randomizer switch through all of time and space just to connect to Donna Noble. And of course ultimately, you! The goal was always you." She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on her hand. He tried to move closer to her but she started again. "I was the best at location… Which is a bit of a kinder way of saying, I was always a little too late."

"Hmm,"

"Let me tell you about the time I ended up in France."

He went stiff at that...


	2. Chapter 2

The World is Wide Enough 

Rose leaned away from the Doctor as she felt the pressure of his stress roll off him in waves. The malleable tension was back in the air. He wasn’t breathing; oh, to have a respiratory bypass. She gave him a half smile as he raked his hands through his still brilliant hair. 

“Right, ‘together in Paris.’ See why we could nevah’ watch Anastasia?” She knew the hidden memories were being released. 

“What?” He pointed to her and back to him. “We? You and me in France? What? Why is it always France?” He hid his face in his hands. “What?” Rose couldn’t hide the tongue touched smile that slide across her face. She was hearing the squeaky voice again. 

“City of Light- La Ville-Lumiere. Both in art, and in the enlightenment…” Rose started to ramble. She felt like the Doctor was supposed to say this part. She started to squeeze and un-squeeze the plush arm of the chair. Her hand felt very empty. 

“It was the first city on Earth to light the way with gas lights along the Champs Elysees.” The Doctor peaked through his fingers.

“We know how well that can go. Cardiff?” They both laughed. “There is still only one Great Britain, right?”

“That is essentially true. There is a sort of rebirth of Great Britain and the Temple of… and, New- New-, New-ish Great Britain.”

“Well then?” She bumped her shoulder to his. He raised a brow and Rose shook her head. “Has it, um. Has everything, or any’thing come back yet?”

“Hmmm,” he hummed. “It’s all a bit fuzzy, but things are getting into focus. You know, France is a totally other Planet.”

“You are from another Planet.”

“That is why, Rose Tyler, you should trust me on that point,” he said with a pop. 

“Ok Mister Expert Time Lord, you said, ‘the memory would be hidden and then unlock when I said the key.’” She moved closer to him after he frowned at her half-hearted impression.

“I don’t sound like that.”

“It’s hard to improve on the original.” He shifted under her hazel gaze. “Do I need to put the film Anastasia on?”

“Patience is a virtue, Ms. Tyler; for both Humans and Time Lords. Un, I don’t know. It’s all mangled, and banging around in my head- a flash here and there. I can’t quite pinpoint which is real. That time was difficult and it’s been a long day.”  
“Do you want me to-“

“Do you? Do you need to sleep or something?” His eyes narrowed as she hid a yawn. “You always used to sleep so much.” 

“Not as much anymore. I don’t think I want to get up yet. What if this is the dream?”

“Rose that is a terrible, terrible line.”

“Alright, you take a go then.” Her challenge was serious.

“Why don’t you just tell me about France? We were together in Paris.” He waggled his eyebrows. She turned her favorite shade of pink. Tit for tat. “I tried so hard to stay away from that place,” the Doctor murmured under his breath. 

“Right. Well, the stars were going out and we were tracking the timelines that were converging on Donna. But you know time travel and alternate dimensions can get a bit tricky. I kept missing you, her, or both. One jump I found my way to France. “  
\--  
“I was waiting for the dimension cannon to recharge. I ended up stuck in France… during the reign of Louis the XV and your, well ‘friend’. I had two days for the recharge. I heard that there was a smashing or charming Lord that had captured the eyes and perhaps heart of the King’s girlfriend.” The Doctor’s eyes grew. “You know how poetic the French can be.”

“Of course, total exaggeration at times. It’s quite silly,” he replied, softly.

“I didn’t want to mess with that part of time. It was when you were on the slow path.” She cringed about the few weeks of silence after the Lonely Angel had returned without his Princess, or whatever that was all about.

“Anyway, I stashed my clothes and tried to blend in.”

The Doctor hid a chuckle. 

“Oi, you know how I love those corsets and stockings. At least, I look good in’em. I decided to explore some of the city and around Versailles and such. The first night, I found my way to a quiet bar. It was getting dark. It was one of those cold nights where you go to a place like that to be warm. You know either with a drink.”

“Or?”

“Well that my Lord Doctor, is where you should start to remember things.”   
\---  
The Time Lord could hear the echoes of dogs and guards bouncing in the back of his mind. Rapid footsteps, and bells echoed across stone streets and dark alleys. A flash of him looking out a window with a lady smiling at him. He had a glass of expensive wine heavy in his hand, but it was forgotten as he contemplated what was to come. It was gradually coming together. The slow path stretched painfully out in front of him. Reinette was fine and kind enough. It was odd how easily she had slid into his mind. He understood the basic attraction was from that point of intimacy. 

His mind had been alone. The lonely child for so long. 

The King was not so happy with him at this point. He’d get poisoned, overthrown, or lose his mind; perhaps sooner, or later. The timelines weren't permanent and the history books would change. The Time Lord decided to take a bit of a stroll after a not so civil discussion with his Majesty. Stroll, meant run. He just needed some air. 

It was getting dark and he found my way to a bar. His clothes were a mishmash of period clothes under his brown coat. It’s useful to have pockets that were bigger on the inside.   
He frowned as he entered the bar and a pink flash entered his mind. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge. Something was wrong with time. Well, something that was worse than his current circumstances. He looked to the bar and saw a blonde. A familiar blonde. Her hair was done haphazardly in curls. It didn’t even come to mind how she could even be here. He was in front or her before she could take another sip of her drink. 

Her hazel eyes grew wide, “Doc’tah?” she mouthed. He could hear I high pitched beeping alarm coming from under some ruffles on her sleeve. “Nope, sorry I have got to go.” She hopped off her stool and gathered her skirts as she and tried to get past him. 

His arm stopped her. She looked up at him with a hint of panic in her eyes. “Wait, Rose how are you here? I’m sorry I went through the window with no way back. I’m working on it." 

The Doctor took her hand easily. “How are you here, and in that?”

“I'm having a drink right now, trying to blend in. I like this color.” She dropped his hand and took another sip. “I’ve got to go. You know that this is the wrong time and place for us.”

“Yes, I can see that. Well, Time Lord and all the time sense, you know. I do get all that. It still doesn’t explain why you are here having a sub-par drink of whatever that is.” He took her cup and finished the rest of it. He stuck out his tongue and wiped the excess alcohol out. 

“The banana and strawberry drinks are just getting in vogue. Only just recently, actually.” Rose smiled.

“Rose, why are you here?” He whispered. She could tell his senses of time were getting to him.

Rose tapped her hand on the bar twice and gave him a new glass. “Trying to find you.” Her hand touched his cheek, she traced some of his freckles with her fingertips. “It’s still not the right you.”

“I’m right here Rose.” He covered her hand. "She look you can touch me. I'm here right in front of you, talking to you." Rose’s touch was so much more familiar and warm. He just wanted to… Rose backed away.

“Yes, Doctor and there is another me terrified, trapped on a space station, with no way to get home. Waiting for you.”

“I do get back,” he said. He never did lack in confidence. 

“Somehow.” Rose nodded. “You never said how long you stayed in France. You also have someone waiting for you on the royal grounds, I suppose.” 

The Doctor shook his head. “I think she’s right in front of me.” The Doctor traced a line across her open shoulders. “There is one girl that always seems to wait. There is a girl who always tells me when to stop. A girl who refuses to be left behind. One that’s all gold and pink in my mind. You’re burnt in there, Rose Tyler. I will always find you.”

Rose shook her head with tears in her eyes. She wordlessly wrapped her hands in his hair and their lips met with crushing force. 

“You and me, we’re together. That is all that matters, for now,” he whispered through exhales along her neck line, as she found a spot behind her ear. 

She pulled him by the lapels towards the stairs.


	3. Cardiff-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read, Review, and Enjoy!!!!

The World is Wide Enough  
By Kimmzie

TARDIS- Rose

“Oi, is the TARDIS infected with gaseous Aliens? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Doctor?” Rose was closer to him now. They were now in the middle of the couch, The Time Lord was slowly sinking into the cushions. Rose’s leg was hanging comfortably over his lap. 

The look on his face now mirrored a look he had given her with icy eyes a few lifetimes ago. She had stepped into the console room in Cardiff, she was happy about the wardrobe and was playing with the loose skirt and tight corset. She grew to love a good corset. He gazed up at her, “You look beautiful…”

Rose had learnt over time that ‘look’ was special. It was a sort of awe he saved for secret stolen moments. 

Again, she was the only one breathing. The TARDIS hum was absent… “Um…Am I the only one here? Ugh” The Doctor nudged Rose.

He gently tried to lean her back onto the couch. Her muscles responded by reflex, and practice. They had done this dance move before. Her ears were ringing and beating to fill the silence. He felt so cold. She wished her heart would slow down.

Her mind knew it should be thinking, processing, speaking. She was lucky she was still bloody breathing at this point. Think. Oh god. His hands were zipping down her jacket and he was making a similar path along her shoulder. The shirt was stretching along the top seam. “You and me, we’re together. That is all that matters, for now,”  
Yup, and now his lips whispering what came next… 

“Doctor…” She tightened her grip on his hair. 

The Time Lord growled and grazed her skin with a canine in return. She felt his hand making her warm, fuzzy, and safe. She needed to think… The cold air was hitting her torso. She glanced on the floor and saw a few pieces of her shirt. She pulled with both hands. 

“Bussy,” he hissed. The Doctor wrapped his arm around to get the clasps of her bra. Another pull. She used both hands and twisted in a way she knew usually got his attention. 

“Huh? Wha?” His brown eyes looked up to her, confused. 

“I usually only get that one on my Birthday.”

“And un-Birthday.”

“Well, a very happy un-Birthday to me.” He was beaming and grinning.

Rose couldn’t help it her eyes were getting teary. 

The Doctor frowned. “Well, that is not the desired reaction to this.” He kissed below the lace on her ribs.

“S’not that.” She smiled. “I feel like it all came back.” She nodded her head three times. She had limited body motion at the moment due to Time Lord. 

“Yes, very much so. I was trying to go for a historical reenactment. That time has always been fuzzy. I thought it was just France… Or that Reneite had gone places.”

“Places.”

“Yes, places.” He took both her hands. He guided one hand to tap on his head and the other down below his belt. “No puns.”

“Hmm. It’ll be hard to find one at this point in time.” She squeezed a bit. “I may need Jack to join in for that.” 

“He wishes… If you wanted my attention you have it now, Rose.” He rolled his eyes. 

“It’s just. It’s all backwards, forwards, or sideways.” She heard an audible breath that was more sigh. Rose propped herself on her ‘freeish’ elbow. “I really don’t feel like airing out, or defining anything… But it’s been quite a day or few years.”

“Wibbley- Wobbley, Timey-Wimey.” 

“You had me at Wibbley- Wobbley, Sir Doctor.” Rose let her tongue peak out the edge of her mouth. 

“You can keep that one,” he said in a whisper. They were together again. A lot closer. Getting closer by the second…   
His mouth had ascended upon her before she could continue. Next, her leg was wrapped around the upper section of his back. Her pants were holding her back. His hand had unhinged the clasp to her bra and his hands were happily exploring. She wasn’t sure when his trousers had come unzipped and her right hand had disappeared.   
\--  
France- The Doctor  
The Doctor magically found the key to her shabby room upstairs. She smiled and said, “Sir. Doctor?” Her hand had left his to curl around his neck. Her heels clicked together and were hooked around his back to keep her balanced as he they bumped, grinded and climbed up the stairs (order may not be correct due to, well um… memory, and timey-wimey stuff).

As far as he knew, no one raised an eye. 

He slammed her shoulder roughly against the wood of a door and he balanced her.

“Next one,” she licked in his ear. 

He swore in Gallifreyan and she laughed. “Language. I think I even know what that one means.” He spun on the heels of his very muddy chucks and balanced her to the side of the correct door. She giggled this time. 

“Oh, you’ll see what it means.” He pressed his body into hers. He mumbled to himself as he turned the key. Rose was making things very fun, but difficult. But there was more to be had behind that door. He had her now; Fully engaged, actually. 

He was out for a run. Rose was the best to run with; to dance with, kiss with, it’s better with her.   
\--  
TARDIS: Currently.

His mind started to shoot alarms and whistles. Everything was mauve. Oh, no. The other one was going to wake up soon. Still. Everything wasn’t all pink, gold, and glittering like Rose. There was a certain after taste or tingling in her mouth… It reminded him of their first… 

Lonng Before France: Cardiff (Ninth Doctor)

They were in Cardiff refueling the TARDIS and getting ready to send the Slitheen to her death. She was being fairly melodramatic about it. The Doctor had been jury, judge, and executioner before. He had done it with nary a second thought at that moment. It was all the time that expanded, endlessly in front of him after that which tormented him. The emptiness in his mind made it all the more bitter and biting. Yet, here he was again. 

Doing the right thing. It was not his fault this time. He was only returning her to her people. She was the monster. 

He no longer had anyone. They were all gone. Not one member of the Council or Time Lords could bear witness and judge the Oncoming Storm, The Time Lord Victorious, The Last Time Lord- The Lonely Child.

Ricky the idiot was also here. Why Rose needed a passport was beyond his Time Lord brain.   
He tried not to frown too much when she smiled at Mickey knocked him playfully with her hip. They had left a few moments ago for some air. He could see through the monitor that they were walking happily hand- in- hand.

“So what’s on?” Jack asked. The Doctor quickly walked away from the screen. 

Cardiff: (Rose Tyler)  
“I didn’t really need my passport,” Rose confessed, playing with her scarf. Mickey mentioned they should get a drink and maybe a hotel room. Rose heart went a little faster when he gave her that sideways glance. She didn’t need to tell the Doctor. 

“I’m going out with Tricia Delaney.”   
Rose was jealous. She didn’t know what to do. “I know you and I know her. That is never going to happen.” It came out quickly after it was simmering under the surface of her thoughts as they had been wandering.

Mickey had confessed that she had ran away with a kiss to his cheek. She had made him feel like nothing; however, he would wait for her forever… He was right they had been nice. It had been nice. They had been happy.   
Rose couldn’t sit still anymore. There was so much to see. He shouldn’t wait for her. She ran to the TARDIS when the explosions and earthquakes started. 

Margaret was an egg. She told the Doctor to go and not wait. Mickey was gone now. No more waiting around for any of them. Ever forwards. She walked towards her room after a bit. Her steps and heart were heavy and she was yawning. 

“Tired already, Rose?” She jumped at question. The Doctor was leaning against her doorway. She noticed that his jacket wasn’t on.  
“You know, it just gets tiring saying Raxacoricofallapatorius so much.”

He nodded.

“You could’ve stayed… Or, for a little bit. We would’ve waited.”

“I’I know. But that the problem isn’t it. There’s waiting on all sides. You can’t wait indefinitely when you don’t know if, or when they will come back.”

“I bet you’d find…”

“He said he’d wait for me. I can’t let him do that. We were happy. It's not the same. Not anymore... I’m not her anymore. Maybe I never was. I can’t wait around anymore.”

The Doctor was closer. He took both her hands and smiled. He leaned down wordlessly and let their lips meet. “You are always worth the wait.” His hands started to slip from hers. She tightened her grip. He looked down at her hazel eyes they were glassy.

“Really?”

“You are always worth the wait. Didn’t I mention this ship also travels in time? Time and me, tight as thieves we are. Usually.”   
Rose kissed his hand and pulled him towards her room. He followed silently.  
\--  
TARDIS (Doctor)  
“Oi.” The Doctor rubbed his head. “I can bloody hear all three of you.” He shouted into the air.

“Wha,”

“We’ erm will have to talk or whatever we were doing later. Everyone is waking up.”

“Everyone?”

“Donna, The TARDIS, the Other one, it’s loud in there.” The Doctor tried to cover his ears.

Rose cringed as she straightened her back and found her jacket. She turned pink when she saw her top in four pieces. “They were…. While we were. Oh, that’s…”  
“Takes two to tango.” The Doctor was buttoning his Oxford.

“But…”

“Yeah, now there's a third." His voice was gravely. "We are going to have to work some of that stuff out.” The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. “Hopefully, to be continued.”

“That wasn’t a goodbye?” The question was all but silent, it fell hard and heavy on the Doctor's hearts.   
This is why he never wanted to start it in the first place. “I was hoping more of a hello. You are worth waiting for Rose. Maybe I just needed to get reminded.”

Now, he was not going to let her go... They walked out of the library hand and hand. This was going to get more complicated. But Rose belonged in the TARDIS. No more waiting. Ever forwards.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a quick update. We got almost all the characters into play.

The Doctor squeezed her hand and slowly and let his fingers disentangle from hers. He ran both of his hands through his hair. It was already a mess. Now, it was worse.   
He raised an eyebrow and tutted. 

Rose cocked her head to the side and chewed her bottom lip as she contemplated her next move. Forget the Time Lord, she had the moves too. With a smirk and a maniacal giggle she approached the Doctor. Through a combination of good balance, a jump, twist, and stretching the limits of her height via tippy toes, her hands ran through the Time Lord’s hair and coifed it to resemble its usual greatness. 

She looked at her work and was somewhat satisfied. The Doctor was always better at it. 

“Y’you know that used to be easier,” she said pointedly when her feet were planted firmly on the ground again. 

“Oh, you know you like it this way too. Why wouldn’t you? It’s brilliant. Anyway, Rose Tyler, I didn’t know you were that spry. I had my guesses based on muscle tone and...” Rose’s ‘snicker’ cut him off. He cleared his throat. “Hmm. Well, there is also that additional Torchwood training from Pete’s World. You are Rose Tyler Defender of the Earth. I will have to put some of that to the test later,” he finished. She tried to ignore that his voice was an octave lower at the end. 

“And to what is the purpose of all that vigorous testing?” Rose stepped closer to him. 

“Keep this up and you’ll find out sooner rather than later.”

“Doctor?” Donna’s voice was echoing through the hallway. 

“I think you have another patient.” Rose patted him on the chest and stepped away. She turned and started to head back towards her room.

“Just chalk it up to stress relief.” He winked. “I guess it worked.”

“Will she be ok?”

“That requires time and different types of testing. I’m more worried if I’ll be ok after she remembers what I was going to do.”

“She’ll understand.” Rose started to turn towards him again. 

“Now that is what I am worried about. This may be a Doctor to Doctor-Donna talk.”

“Yeup, I am way ahead of you on that. I’m going to sleep. It’s been. Hmm not even sure. G’luck Doctor.”

“Ah, to sleep perchance to dream. I am almost jealous of you right now.” He steeled himself. “What if it didn’t work?” 

“Hello, is anybody aboard this place anymore. I’m all hooked up. Stop Humming at me. Flickering your lights and beeping are not going to help me. I don’t even know what that means. Hello!” Donna was definitely conscious. 

“From that? You’ll figure it out. You’ve got me,” she added quietly.

“Yes, I do. Don’t I?” He smiled with a look of guarded awe on his face. 

“For… well. I guess that’s for later.”

“Rose Tyler.” Rose stopped him by raising a hand and shaking her head.

“Not that right now. We’re not on so much of a time limit. I swear if you bloody disappear, or can’t decide how to finish that sentence… Huh.” She focused on the floor and shook her head. “You have such bad timing for a Time Lord. Anyway, it’s alright. I’m always alright. Just give me a mo- ok?” He stepped towards her and she shuffled back. He frowned. “Quite right too, yeah. We have a ‘to be continued’ this time. If you make it out of there.”

“Oh, you and Donna are going to get on quite well, too well.”

“Good night, Doctor.”

“G'night.”  
\--  
(Rose Tyler)  
Rose could feel the Doctor’s gaze burning into her long after she turned the corner. Stupid superior Time Lord senses. Sometimes, life was not fair. The Doctor was also an expert at breaking the rules. 

How was that sentence going to end? She wasn’t sure that she wanted to know. Sometimes things don’t need saying. Unfortunately, this needed saying.   
She wandered the halls of the TARDIS aimlessly enjoying the light hum in the back of her mind. It had been too crowded before with everyone. She hadn’t had a proper greeting with the TARDIS. She let her fingers stroke the walls as she came to the familiar door that led to her room. It was like she had never left. The bed was still unmade. She opened the closet to see a plethora of hoodies. The vanity and shelves still had photos and nick nacks. She picked up a picture of her Mum and tried to hold back tears. 

After she washed up and put on sweat pants, she collapsed on the bed. Her eyes were closed before she could find the cool side of the pillow. Rose didn’t know how long she slept for but she woke up to an empty stomach.

She found the galley easily enough but her mouth dropped when she entered. The Doctor was sitting down eating a pear. 

“Ummm.”

He perked up and smiled. “Hello.” He switched his gaze between her and the pear. “New, new, newish taste buds. I wanted to see if I liked them yet or not.”

“And?”

“I’m on the fence. These taste buds are quite inferior. The bloody thing still has a bad aftertaste.”

“You are different. Or have gone mental. Pears?” She went over to the counter and threw him a banana. “Try this.”

“Are we going to a party?”

“Nope. Litmus test.”

The Metacrisis Doctor smiled and tried the fruit. “Bananas are good.”

“Somethings don’t change.” She sat down across from him with a yogurt from the 23-rd century that she had been craving longer than she could remember. 

“We all change, Rose.” 

“I guess that is true. Why did you take me here? We could have…” 

“Would you have chosen me? I don’t need a babysitter.”

“I wasn’t given much of a choice. You gave me one again.” Rose took a sip out of her pink mug. “I made my choice a long time ago. Forever.” She clinked his mug.

“How long is that again?”

“No one ever really knows.”

“Ah, yes. My time senses have become a little more limited… I can see that now, or not see.”

“You think like him. You look like him. Same memories. Same everything; except, you only have one heart. You are the Doctor. He is the Doctor. I get that. I don’t think you need a babysitter." She took another sip of tea. "I’ve been yours since you grabbed my hand.”

“I was quite a mess back then.” He frowned. “You made it better.”

“You took a shop girl and showed her the wonders of the Universe. My Dad didn’t die alone. I saved worlds. I did good. You made me better.” She stared at the tea leaves at the bottom of her mug. “I committed genocide. I destroyed the Daleks. I would do it again, with or without the heart of the TARDIS, I needed you safe. I need you safe.”

“Same here.” 

“I need you.” Rose licked the last of the yogurt off her spoon. “I need him too. You’re both the Doctor, just a bit different. I’m never going to leave you.”

“I always told Jackie I would take you home. When we were all going back to Pete’s world for our last trip the other me didn’t look at you. He looked at me and I knew what he was going to do. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“That was never my home. This is my home. I made my choice so long ago. I traveled so far to find you.”

“What about your family?”

“I left directions and all my goodbyes as soon as the walls started to break down. I needed to come back and find you. I said all my goodbyes.”

“Never again.”

“So… are both of you staying on the TARDIS, then? Am I?”

“There are a few details to be sorted out. I don’t think the full Time Lord me has any intent on you going all domestic somewhere without him.”

“Donna?”

The half-human Time Lord rubbed the back of his neck. “Donna. She is the Doctor Donna now. I was able to help build up some walls so the bigger parts of her mind wouldn’t shatter. We’ll see if it holds. It should be exciting. She was the most important woman in the Universe for a fixed point in time. We should give her a trophy or something for that.”

“So, she’ll be fine?”

“If all goes according to plan she’ll be right as rain.” 

“And you?”

“Oh, I am always alright. Good cup of tea and some more medical testing I should be able to get most of what I lost back. I have you for starters.”

“Yeup.” Rose popped her p. She hopped down from her stool and went over to wrap her arms around his neck. The Doctor started to lean in when Donna entered the kitchen.

“Oi, you two go get a room. Or just make ga-ga eyes at one another from across the table. I’ve already seen you naked Spaceman.”

“Wait, what?” Rose laughed.

“Oh, don’t make me relive it. There’s been enough happening in my head. I feel like I have a hangover. I don’t know what you see in him. He’s so skinny.”

“Watch it there.”

“I like it just fine.” Rose smiled. She kissed him on the cheek and grabbed a plate for Donna. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Good to be back. Ugh, I’m starving. Is there anything to eat? Just nothing with cilantro on it.”

Rose laughed and put the kettle on. 

“Oh my. So this is where everybody ran off to.” The full Time Lord entered the room. “Why is there a half-eaten pear on the table?” He scrunched his noise up in disgust. 

“Human sense of taste. They’re not too bad. Bananas are better,” his duplicate replied. 

“That is disgusting. No pears. How did that even come aboard?”

“Ummm. I think Mum had it in her jacket pocket. Tony loves them.”

“Does your Mum always store food in her pockets? That is not a food by the way. That is just poison.” He wrapped the fruit in a napkin and dropped it in the bin.

“She started because of that bloke she used to date. You borrowed his robe and jim-jams. Anyway, where to now?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere, everywhere… I don’t really know.”  
“  
Oh, I have just the place.” Donna said with a smile. “You’ll all love it and I can drive you there.”

“Uh, you’re still on your learner’s permit.” The Full Time Lord followed her after she ran to the control room.

“Too be continued. Allons-y Rose Tyler. Run for your life. You know I failed my drivers test?” The meta-crisis said with a wink. "C'mon."

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted Rose to go to France...


End file.
